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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Kola Awosika" <kola@kola.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: awosikakola@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 4 Jun 2005 11:27:56 -0700
Subject:

FROM: MR.KOLA AWOSIKA
NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION ( N.N.P.C)
PLOT 775, MCPHERSON CLOSE,
VICTORIA ISLAND,
LAGOS, NIGERIA.
E MAIL: awosikakola1@yahoo.com
DEAR SIR,

I AM MR.KOLA AWOSIKA AN ACCOUNTANT IN THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM
CORPORATION (N.N.P.C.).I HEAD A SEVEN-MAN TENDERS BOARD IN CHARGE OF
CONTRACT AWARDS AND PAYMENT APPROVALS.I CAME TO KNOW OF YOU IN MY
SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE AND REPUTABLE PERSON TO HANDLE A VERY CONFIDENTIAL
TRANSACTION WHICH INVOLVES THE TRANSFER OF A HUGE SUM OF MONEY TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT.

THERE WERE SERIES OF CONTRACTS EXECUTED BY A CONSORTIUM OF
MULTI-NATIONALS IN THE OIL INDUSTRY IN FAVOUR OF N.N.P.C.
THE ORIGINAL VALUE OF THIS CONTRACTS WERE DELIBERATELY OVER
INVOICED TO THE SUM OF USD$35,000,000.00 (THIRTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS).

THIS AMOUNT HAS NOW BEEN APPROVED AND IS NOW READY TO BE TRANSFERRED,
BEING THAT THE COMPANIES THAT ACTUALLY EXECUTED THESE CONTRACTS HAVE
BEEN FULLY PAID AND THE PROJECTS OFFICIALLY COMMISSIONED.

CONSEQUENTLY, MY COLLEAGUES AND I ARE WILLING TO TRANSFER THE TOTAL
AMOUNT TO YOUR ACCOUNT FOR SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT, SINCE WE CIVIL
SERVANTS ARE PROHIBITED BY THE CODE OF CONDUCT BUREAU (CIVIL SERVICE LAW)
FROM OPERATING AND/OR OPENING FOREIGN ACCOUNTS IN OUR NAMES. NEEDLESS TO SAY,
THE TRUST REPOSED ON YOU AT THIS JUNCTURE IS ENORMOUS.

IN RETURN, WE HAVE AGREED TO OFFER YOU 20% OF THE TRANSFERRED SUM,
WHILE 10% SHALL BE SET ASIDE FOR INCIDENTAL EXPENSES (INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL)
BETWEEN BOTH PARTIES IN THE COURSE OF THE TRANSACTION.YOU WILL BE MANDATED
TO REMIT THE BALANCE TO OTHER ACCOUNTS IN DUE COURSE.

MODALITIES HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF THE MINISTRY OF
FINANCE AND THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (C.B.N.) FOR THE IMMEDIATE
TRANSFER OF THE FUNDS WITHIN 13 WORKING DAYS SUBJECT TO YOUR SATISFACTION
OF THE ABOVE STATED TERMS. OUR ASSURANCE IS THAT YOUR ROLE IS RISK FREE.

TO ACCORD THIS TRANSACTION THE LEGALITY IT DESERVES AND FOR MUTUAL
SECURITY OF THE FUNDS THE WHOLE APPROVAL PROCEDURES WILL BE OFFICIALLY AND
LEGALLY PROCESSED WITH YOUR NAME OR THE NAME OF ANY COMPANY YOU MAY NOMINATE
AS THE BONAFIDE BENEFICIARY.

ONCE MORE,I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT HAVING PUT IN OVER TEN YEARS IN
THE CIVIL SERVICE OF MY COUNTRY,I AM AVERSE TO HAVING MY IMAGE AND
CAREER DENTED.THIS MATTER SHOULD THEREFORE BE TREATED WITH THE UTMOST
SECRECY AND URGENCY IT DESERVES.

WHAT WE REQUIRE FROM YOU BY TELEPHONE OR E-MAIL ARE:

1) ACCEPTANCE LETTER OF THIS OFFER
2) YOUR COMPANY NAME AND YOUR CONFIDENTIAL TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS
3) CONVINCING HONESTY, TRUSTWORTHINESS AND WILLINGNESS TO ABIDE BY THE
REQUIREMENTS OF THIS PROPOSAL PARAMOUNT OF WHICH IS CONFIDENTIALITY.

CONTACT ME THROUGH MY E-MAIL BELOW AND ABOVE.

YOURS SINCERELY,
MR. KOLA AWOSIKA
e-mail:awosikakola1@yahoo.com
YOURS SINCERELY,



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